Can You Take A Concealed Carry Class Online

The world is changing and more and more people are finding it easier to learn from their home computers. Online training and education has been widely adopted by Universities and Colleges for over a decade and other industries are catching on too. In 2016 the National Rifle Association (NRA) also announced their first online training for their blended Basic Pistol Course.

Is This Good or Bad?

Not everyone in the gun community agrees with this approach. Most people agree on two things. First that training shouldn't be legally required to exercise one's constitutional rights. Second, regardless of the law everyone should seek out and obtain as much training as one can. So where does online training fit into that? In my opinion online training is a fantastic solution to make good training more accessible to more people at a reasonable cost.

If you have heard that there might be a way for you to take your concealed handgun permit class online you are in the right place. This article is going to explore the various aspects of different state laws, how online concealed carry courses work, and if they will qualify in your state.

You Can Take A Concealed Carry Class Online

Navigating The Laws of the Various States

The first step to understanding if an online class will work for you is in understanding reciprocity. There is more than one way to be able to legally conceal in your state. You see you have two options if you want to carry concealed:

Option A: Obtain your local state's permit

Option B: Obtain a permit from a state whose permit is honored by your local state

For example, if you live in Missouri you could obtain the Missouri permit by going through a required Missouri course and applying with the state for the local Missouri permit. Or you could do whatever is required to get a permit from Arizona, Utah, Texas, Virginia, or Florida… because Missouri honors the permits from all of those states. Even as a RESIDENT of Missouri you can still choose to get a permit from Virginia INSTEAD of Missouri and still carry concealed in Missouri with the same rights and privileges as anyone with the local Missouri permit.

Will An Online Class Qualify For My State Permit?

The next key is in understanding that currently only one state in all of the United States will accept a purely online only course to apply for their permit. That state is Virginia. So the question you need to ask is, “Does my state honor the Virginia permit?” Because if your state does honor the Virginia permit then you can choose to take an online only course and apply for the Virginia permit instead of taking an in-person course and applying for your own local state permit.

What States Will Honor That Permit?

The Virginia non-resident permit is valid in 28 US States. Here is the map:

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Residents of Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina (specific counties) Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. While the Virginia permit is honored in your state, your state requires that residents obtain their local state permit in order to carry concealed in the state. In other words, a resident of any other state with a Virginia non-resident permit can carry concealed legally in your state but you could not unless you have a local state Concealed Carry Permit. We still invite you to obtain your Virginia permit so you will have reciprocity with the other states shown.

How Do You Take A CCW Class Online?

Taking an online concealed carry class is very simple, safe, and affordable. After purchasing the course here, you will have access to a special section of the website where you can take the course.

The online concealed carry course is broken into the following modules:

Introduction

Handguns and Ammunition Basics

Firearm Safety

Basic Firearm Handling

Concealed Carry Fundamentals

Traveling With CCW Permits

Training and Practice

Concealed Carry / Gun Law

Buying and Selling Firearms

Organizations and Resources

Conclusion

Each module consists of a number of video lessons that are between 2 and 5 minutes each. You watch each video lesson and then answer a single, open-book, multiple choice question to ensure comprehension. When you have completed the online course (about 2 hour hours) you print off your certificate of completion that you will need to apply.

How Do I Apply for The Permit?

Once you have completed the course you just fill out the state application and mail it along with your certificate and other required documentation to the State Police. Don't worry, we provide all the step by step, easy to follow instructions in the course material.

If you want to learn more about the online concealed carry opportunity click here.

About Jacob Paulsen

Jacob S. Paulsen is the President of ConcealedCarry.com. ConcealedCarry.com provides in-person and online firearm training for American gun owners. The Company is currently teaching in-person classes in 25+ states with a team of more than 55 instructors. Jacob is a NRA certified instructor & Range Safety Officer, USCCA certified instructor and training counselor, Utah BCI instructor, Affiliate instructor for Next Level Training, Graduate and certified instructor for The Law of Self Defense, and a Glock and Sig Sauer Certified Armorer. He resides in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with his wife and children.

99 Responses to Can You Take A Concealed Carry Class Online

I completed the USA Firearms Training course online and sent in all my info in September and received my Virginia Non-Resident Concealed Carry Permit in December, It takes a while but it is really worth it, I never fired a shot. Everything involved cost about 200.00, and that includes the cost of the course, the fingerprint cost, pictures and the $100.00 application fee. You can do it too, you just have to follow the instructions to the letter.

I took my online course and passed but when I registered i put my home state which is Ohio so my certificate says Ohio can I use that to apply for a Virginia non resident or should I have choose Virginia when I registered for my online class.

Hailey, you must not have taken your class from us as our certificates don’t have your state name on them. In the end it shouldn’t matter. Virginia accepts almost all firearm training courses and that your certificate says Ohio on it shouldn’t impact Virginia’s decision to honor that training.

In Ohio you have to have 8 hours of firearms training, 6 hours of class room and 2 hours of live fire training on the range from a Certified NRA firearms Instructor or a State of Ohio OPOTA Certified firearms Instructor. We have had a lot of fly by night so called firearms Instructors that have ripped of a lot of people. Many of them went to Jail and the people’s CCW where revoked. It is the responsibility of each person to make sure that the person is a Certified Instructor. In Ohio it is a felony to falsify any document to obtain a State License or a permit. CCW permits are State permits.

Paula, they can take the online class only, apply for the Virginia permit (paying the VA application fee of course) and then if they pass the background check they can carry in Ohio the same way you do with your Ohio permit.

Montana will not accept this training to get a Montana permit but they will honor the Virginia non-resident permit. So, if a Montana resident wants to take an online class you can take this class and then apply for the Virginia non-resident permit and then carry concealed in Montana the same way as anyone with a Montana permit. This online course costs $39.

I have a NY State Carry Permit,and a NY City Business Premise permit. I think NY honors no other State. I would want a Florida permit,and a Virginia Permit. Is this possible to do with online courses?
Manny Rich

Are there any physical impediments that would not allow me to apply and take the On-line VA course?
I am a retired military Vet with 33-years of service & have been issued a disabilty on lower joints & use a walker?

Steve, no, you are fully qualified for the permit and since the course consists only of watching video and answering simple online questions there is nothing that would prevent or impede you for completing the course and applying for the permit.

Jesse, yes that is fine. Utah doesn’t require residents have the local permit… Any honored permit will do. That said, the application fee for the Virginia permit is $100 and the UT permit fee for residents is closer to $40. So even with the cost of a local class ($50) it would still be cheaper to just take a local class and apply for the UT permit. If interested in that route check out http://www.carryutah.com

Thanks for the insight.
When I get the VA permit, can I purchase a handgun or rifle in the State of MN using the VA permit?
When traveling through a State that doesn’t accept the permit you are carrying, can you carry in a locked box in your glove compartment? Or, do you need to carry it in the trunk?

Steve I’m not clear on MN laws but if you are a resident of MN then no permit is required to buy a firearm there regardless. When traveling through a state in which you have no valid permit you can follow the laws of that state or you can follow article 926a of FOPA which requires that the firearm be unloaded, not immediately accessible for immediate use, and within a locked container other than the glove box or console. So trunks make it easy to achieve the requirements but there are other ways in addition to a trunk to meet the requirements.

When I took the online course and passed Florida does not recognize this class. The reason taking the class is because it said Florida residents is why I took it. Now I have given $65.00 for this class and it is no good to me this is false advertising on Facebook. Would like a refund so that I can take a real course.

Deborah, you didn’t buy it from us. We only charge $39 for our online course and we don’t advertise it as being accepted by Florida for the Florida permit. Sorry, but I recommend you look for your receipt and figure out who you paid for the course so you can pursue your refund.

I live in Florida. Is there a way I can take this & be able to carry here? Or will I only be able to carry outside of Florida? Also if I want to purchase do I have to purchase outside of Florida, or can I purchase in Florida & get approved as well? (Artis)

Artis, as a Florida resident the only way to legally conceal in Florida is to obtain a Florida permit. Depending on where you live you may be able to find a class here: http://www.floridagunclasses.com/

So Maryland residents can’t get a ccw permit at all. It sounds like they are prohibited in owning a gun to protect their household. Or are you saying a online class won’t do but a in classroom can get them the permit?

Maryland has specific training requirements to qualify to apply for the permit. That class has to be taught in person. Our company has instructors in Clear Springs MD and the class schedule can be found at maryland.concealedcarry.com. HOWEVER, even if you complete the qualifying class Maryland is what we refer to as a “May Issue” state which essentially means that they require applicants prove a need for the permit. Generally speaking this requires that you either can show violent threats you have received or that you regularly carry large sums of cash as part of a business activity.

I live in Indiana will it be honored?? I am reading all this and as I understand it I take this class get my permit from Virginia then apply for my permit here?? So would I have to pay all the fees twice??

Dee, let me clarify. Indiana is a confusing one. Read the disclaimer above under the map. Indiana law requires that you have to have an Indiana permit to carry in Indiana. Which means getting the Virginia permit doesn’t help you at all. Also, Indiana doesn’t require any training in order to get a permit. Just march into your local county sheriff’s office and pay the application fee and you are done. While no training is REQUIRED to get a permit in Indiana, training is a good idea so you may still choose to take this or another in-person class locally but the online class is neither required or helpful (as to the legal requirements) as far as getting a permit in Indiana.

I’m confused over two areas:
1. I just read that the Va. permit will no longer be recognized in most other states? Did I read that wrong?
2. If I had to go through the 8 hour course in S.C., am I allowed to conceal carry in other states?
Thanks! Sharon

You probably found some outdated news stories about the Governor of Virginia threatening to end reciprocity with many states in early 2016. It never happened. The legislature changed the law and the reciprocity for the Virginia permit has actually expanded since that time.

2: South Carolina does enjoy some great reciprocity. On our site, in the “Resources & Tools” menu click the Reciprocity Maps link and you can see the states that honor the South Carolina permit.

Okay I live in ohio. After I go through getting my CCW how would I renew ? Do I need to worry about ohio possibly turning into a state where they will not honor the V.A ccw. ? I’m trying to carry because being a young mother and don’t live in the best area. So do I need to get a hold of the sheriffs office here ?

I live in Kentucky can I use the certificate to keep say I pawn my gun to a pawn store can I use the certificate to keep them from holding my gun for day 5 to 7 days which I think is stupid since I just bought it on the 1st of December and the atf made the pawn shop hold it for 7 days now I pawn it 2 weeks later and now a.t.f.is making them hold it for 5 more days.so will the certificate stop all that process.from happening again…

Rodney, I’m confident in saying that getting a certificate that says you have received firearm training will have no bearing on the laws that determine how long a Pawn shop has to hold a firearm in Kentucky.

Hello…trying to find some information on CHL/LTC in Texas and alcohol treatment. Just recently completed the Texas CHL/LTC and am ready to do fingerprinting..etc.etc. My question to you is….”I went voluntarily to alcohol rehab back in June of 2017 and have been clean ever since. Will this disqualify me from getting my concealed carry permit”? What I have been reading is yes and no. So hoping you can shed some light on this. Appreciate it.

Not if you are a resident of Tennessee. If you read the paragraph above that is directly below the map you will see that Tennessee law requires that residents of Tennessee obtain a Tennessee permit. However if you are a resident of any of the other 49 states and obtain this permit then yes you can carry legally in Tennessee.

I live on Missouri. If I take this course will I still have to go through my local agencies to apply for my ccw or will this non resident permit be accepted? I don’t want to have to take the course twice.

Someone was saying that they took the course and got their carry permit without ever firing a shot. I took 2 gun safety classes which involved range time before I even took my CCW class. The CCW class involved firing at least 50 rounds and I now go to a gun range at least once a week and fire at least 75 to 150 rounds a visit. Why in the world would anyone think they should be carrying a gun if they have never fired it and trained with it?

Mike the required concealed carry training varies significantly from state to state. States like Indiana, Alaska, Wyoming, Washington, and Georgia don’t require any training at all to get a permit. Other states like Utah, Arizona, Virginia, Colorado, and Iowa require training but don’t require there be any live fire. You obviously must live in a state that does have live fire requirements. I’m not saying one is better or should be required over the other just trying to clarify that there is a lot of variances AND there is no data to suggest that one state’s students are more able to defend themselves than students from another state. Now, despite all those differences, the main takeaway is that regardless of what the government of any given state says is required we all have an obligation to go beyond that initial training and make learning and ongoing instruction a lifetime pursuit.

I would like to make sure I am reading this correctly, as a resident of Nebraska if I obtained this permit I could carry in any state indicated above but not in my home state of Nebraska without obtaining a Nebraska permit, is this correct?

Also, would I be required to take a local class here in Nebraska to obtain that permit or would I just need to show my Virginia non-resident in order to apply for the Nebraska permit.

I think you meant that South Carolina requires an in-person class. They do not accept online training in SC. South Carolina does NOT honor the Virginia non-resident permit. Can you get a Virginia resident permit by using your father’s address? No. You aren’t a resident of Virginia. You don’t have a registered vehicle or government issued ID from VA.

Crissy, read the disclaimer above that is under the map. You certainly can take the course and get your VA permit but it will NOT enable you to carry in Wisconsin as WI state law requires that residents obtain the WI permit.

No. 2 Points to clarify about your question. First, if you want a WI permit you will have to take an in-person qualifying class in Wisconsin. You can’t just submit a permit from another state to WI and try to use it to waive the requirement to take a class. Second, Wisconsin law requires that a WI resident obtain a WI permit in order to carry in WI. See disclaimer above.

As you can see in the disclaimer below the above map Kentucky is a state that requires by law that residents obtain the local state permit. So, you have to obtain a Kentucky permit to carry in Kentucky if you live in Kentucky and the only way to qualify to get the Kentucky permit is to take an in-person class from an instructor certified by the State Police. I’m biased but I recommend https://kentucky.concealedcarry.com